Accident Overview
A witness reported observing an airplane flying very low toward Cartersville Airport in Cartersville, Georgia. The witness heard the engine cease operation and then saw the airplane pitch nose-down and crash into trees. According to witnesses at the airport, the accident airplane never established communication on the Unicom frequency.
Impact and Debris
The airplane struck a wooded field approximately 1.6 miles northeast of the airport. The impact destroyed the aircraft, scattering debris over an area about 700 feet long on a southeast heading. Several large-diameter trees were broken or cut, and components of the airplane were found hanging in the branches of surrounding trees.
Post-Crash Observations
Residents living adjacent to the field reported a strong odor of fuel shortly after the crash. During the subsequent teardown inspection of the engine, no pre-impact discrepancies were identified. Similarly, no pre-impact anomalies were found in the airframe. The autopsy and toxicology reports were non-conclusive.